Madison Media Digest: Development, Education, Elections

Here’s what we were reading about while wondering why that groundhog snapped:

Development

The state chose a group to redevelop the Department of Transportation building site in the Hill Farms Neighborhood. The agreement also includes developing land near Park Street and the Beltline. Bill Lueders of the Freedom of Information Council of Madison and The Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism questioned the secrecy around the bidding process.  We wrote last week about the uncertain future of the Sheboygan Community Garden, which has been located on the site for 34 years. 

Five new restaurants will move into the Hub, a new high-end apartment building under construction on State Street and set to open this fall. The developers of the Hub want to build another building right behind the one currently being constructed, called the Hub Madison 2. Gebhardt Development submitted a proposal to build a 10-12 floor building on the 800 block of East Washington Avenue, across from the Galaxie building. It would include a start-up incubator that has drawn support from American Family Insurance and MGE. A four-story development has been proposed for the corner of Williamson and Paterson Streets. The Edgewater Hotel, though still under construction, is facing financial problems that include a $2.86 million construction lien from J.F. Ahern and a small claims lawsuit from local sustainably-sourced meat business. Chris Rickert called for the city to do more to protect the homeless.

Education

Public health officials are concerned about the vaccination rates at some Madison schools. Madison Metropolitan School District officials say reductions in state funding proposed by Gov. Scott Walker would cost the district about $4.1 million. Madison Magazine took a deep dive into how Madison schools are developing improvement plans. Sandburg Elementary students went to the Barnes & Noble at East Towne Mall to pick out books for the school library as part of its Year of the Student theme. Madison East’s football team may return to Breese Stevens Field after the installation of artificial turf. We wrote about the history of the now 89-year old facility back in the summer of 2013. Jeff Burkhart, executive director of the Literacy Network, urged more people to volunteer to be adult literacy tutors, citing them as a key link in helping technical college students reach the middle class.

Election

Madison’s Mayoral Primary is Feb. 17, and you can find your polling place online. The Cap Times published a Q&A with the five candidates. WORT’s Feb. 5 mayoral candidate forum, held on the city’s south side, focused on racial disparities. Mayor Paul Soglin has easily outraised all four of his challengers during the Primary, according to totals at the end of 2014. The Isthmus asks if anyone will be able to beat Mayor Soglin.